President Trump will withdraw U.S. from Paris climate agreement

The move did not necessarily come as a surprise-- reports on Wednesday indicated Trump planned to withdraw.

Author:
Tegna

Published:
8:23 PM EDT June 1, 2017

Updated:
8:23 PM EDT June 1, 2017

President Trump announced Thursday that he will pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate deal, despite concerns from top CEOs and international leaders.

Although Trump announced the withdrawal from the agreement, he is still open to negotiating an alternative climate deal.

"In order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord, but begin negotiations to re-enter – either the Paris accord or an entirely new transaction with terms that are fair to the United States, its businesses, its workers, its people, its taxpayers," Trump said.

"We will see if we can make a deal that's fair."

But that proposition led to a swift joint statement from France, Germany, and Italy who said the accord can't be renegotiated.

The decision also sparked a flurry of criticism from a number of world leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Prime Minister of Denmark Lars Rasmussen.

The move did not necessarily come as a surprise-- reports on Wednesday indicated Trump intended to leave the agreement.

In his announcement, Trump said he feels a duty to represent Americans in pulling out of the agreement.

"I was elected to represent the voters of Pittsburgh, not Paris," he said.

In a joint statement, Governor Andrew Cumo, Governor Edmund Brown Jr., and Governor Jay Inslee announced the formation of the United States Climate Alliance. They described it as a coalition that will convene U.S. states committed to upholding the Paris Climate agreement.

Trump’s decision is considered a win for Republicans and pulls the U.S.-- the second-largest producer of carbon dioxide -- out of a nearly 200-nation agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Other lawmakers, including U.S. Senator Rand Paul, took to twitter to defend the move. Paul described the action as "great news for the economy" that "could save as many as 6 million U.S. jobs."

Energy Secretary Rick Perry also praised Trump's decision.

"The U.S. will continue to be a leader in energy technology, development & delivery," he wrote in a tweet.